Effects of dimming light-emitting diode street lights on light-opportunistic and light-averse bats in suburban habitats
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Published source details
Rowse E.G., Harris S. & Jones G. (2018) Effects of dimming light-emitting diode street lights on light-opportunistic and light-averse bats in suburban habitats. Royal Society Open Science, 5, 180205.
Published source details Rowse E.G., Harris S. & Jones G. (2018) Effects of dimming light-emitting diode street lights on light-opportunistic and light-averse bats in suburban habitats. Royal Society Open Science, 5, 180205.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Use low intensity lighting Action Link |
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Use low intensity lighting
A replicated, randomized, controlled study in 2015 at 21 road sites in Hertfordshire, UK (Rowse et al 2018) found that street lights dimmed to an intensity of 25% had higher activity of Myotis spp. but lower activity of common pipistrelles Pipistrellus pipistrellus than street lights dimmed to 50% or left undimmed. A greater number of Myotis spp. passes were recorded at street lights dimmed to 25% than at street lights dimmed to 50% or left undimmed (data reported as statistical model results). Fewer common pipistrelle passes were recorded at street lights dimmed to 25% than at street lights dimmed to 50% or left undimmed. The activity of Myotis spp. and common pipistrelles did not differ between street lights dimmed to 25% and unlit controls. Each of 21 sites had three lighting columns (10 m high lamp posts with neutral light-emitting diode (LED) lights) along a stretch of treelined road. Each of four lighting treatments (controlled using pulse modulation) was applied for two consecutive nights/site in May–August 2015: 0% (unlit), 25% (average 11 lux), 50% (average 20 lux), undimmed (average 36 lux). Bat activity was recorded with a bat detector attached to the middle lighting column.
(Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)
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